1784 Washington Ugly Head - Copper

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as Baker 5, Musante GW-108, and Whitman 10360, the copper version of the 1784 Washington "Ugly Head" is the more commonly encountered composition for this memorably named variety, though "common" is entirely relative in a series where all examples are scarce. The deliberately crude — or at minimum, spectacularly unskilled — portrait of Washington on the obverse has earned this piece one of numismatics' most enduring nicknames, with the unflattering rendering bearing minimal resemblance to the dignified Washington likenesses found on contemporary medals by Jean-Antoine Houdon, Joseph Wright, or the Eccleston medalists. The obverse features this rough Washington bust with a date of 1784, while the reverse typically displays a wreath design. Produced in England, these pieces were part of the flourishing Anglo-American token and medal trade of the 1780s, a period when Washington's image appeared on dozens of different privately produced pieces intended for sale in the American market. Whether the crude portrait was genuine artistic failure, deliberate caricature for satirical purposes, or an intentional commercial novelty designed to attract attention remains a subject of scholarly debate, with compelling arguments advanced for each interpretation. Scarce and perpetually popular among Washington collectors, the Ugly Head's unforgettable name ensures it remains one of the most frequently referenced varieties in the series, appearing in introductory numismatic literature as an example of the remarkable diversity of Washington-themed pieces produced during the founding era.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. The Ugly Head is a popular named variety among Washington collectors.

Cross References

Baker 5; Musante GW-108; Whitman 10360